I'm playing in a "4.0" league at a local club - non-USTA. In my last few matches I've had two opponents tell me that they prefer to play someone like me who hits with pace - in the middle of a match (I won both matches - one I just got by in 3 sets and the other timed out but I was up in game score).

I find that really strange because then I'm tempted to take pace off the ball and junk it up since I know that don't like it.

Also, it's not like I'm killing the ball - I'm a 3.5 so I can hit a fairly clean shot (on occasion...when the planets align), but I'm NOT cranking winners.

So is there a point where hitting a clean ball is counter productive? I can mix it up a bit, but I'm not inclined to hit slice on every ball.

I can see why dudes who play with alot of spins or just hit consitently deep without a lot of pace win a lot of matches. Seems like at my level, trying to kill the ball on most shots won't get you very far.

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Ludacris: My chick bad! Tell me if you seen her. She always brings the racket like Venus and Serena!

I get told the same thing all the time. It could be either because they enjoy the flow of the match more (win or lose) because there's more rhythm, or simply they have an easier time winning against that style of game because maybe their footwork isn't good enough to handle junk balls.

My philosophy is to play the game in the style that is most fun for me, while also helping me to reach my goals. I recently joined a friend in a lesson with a 5.0 adult tournament player. I asked him what it would take for me to reach 4.5. He told me that I have good strokes and skills, and that I should use that to my advantage and be aggressive with them. In other words my skills are too good to resort to conservative shots. I just gotta keep practicing and refining and I'll get there.

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There's no place for pushers in doubles.
Federer leads 5-4 against Nadal on non-clay surfaces.

I get told the same thing all the time. It could be either because they enjoy the flow of the match more (win or lose) because there's more rhythm, or simply they have an easier time winning against that style of game because maybe their footwork isn't good enough to handle junk balls.

My philosophy is to play the game in the style that is most fun for me, while also helping me to reach my goals. I recently joined a friend in a lesson with a 5.0 adult tournament player. I asked him what it would take for me to reach 4.5. He told me that I have good strokes and skills, and that I should use that to my advantage and be aggressive with them. In other words my skills are too good to resort to conservative shots. I just gotta keep practicing and refining and I'll get there.

Yeah - the one guy said he liked it beacuse he could develop a rhythm in the match and the other guy said it was more enjoyable to play that type of match. The second guy also liked to feed off my pace.

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Ludacris: My chick bad! Tell me if you seen her. She always brings the racket like Venus and Serena!

Yeah - the one guy said he liked it beacuse he could develop a rhythm in the match and the other guy said it was more enjoyable to play that type of match. The second guy also liked to feed off my pace.

some players are counterpunchers and have trouble generating their own pace and so they feed off yours as well as have an easier time getting in a ryhtmw.

It depends what you want to accomplish. If you are trying to build your consistently on shots hit with pace while running back and forth you will need to hit consistent deep shots with some pace.

If your looking to win the match and you have the skills you will mix it up but still play your game hitting higher percentage shots.

I prefer to mix it up and try to keep someone from developing a good rhythm by varying the height of the ball over the net, pace, spins and slices. The problem that occurs is that less experienced players will occasionally hit an erratic shot.

The other thing is some people hit dinkers, and try to bring you into the net when they notice you don't have confidence at the net or don't move forward into the court well.

Well, I used to play in a ladies 3.5 league and I got frustrated b/c I was constantly losing! I like to just go out and hit the ball, not play out points and I realized that I hate doubles and much prefer singles. People at the club would see me out hitting with my dh and ask me to join their teams and I keep turning them down b/c I truly hate the way those ladies hit. There is no pace, it's all cheap shots and high balls. I LOVE pace and I hit with pace but it's hard to hit with pace when you're getting lobbed every other shot!

Anyway, I totally understand. Quite frankly, I am working on becoming a better hitting partner for my 11 year old and I let my husband work me around the court(he's a solid 4.5 player) for my fitness and for mastering angle and finesse shots. I'm not sure if I'll ever play league again.

this is a lot like saying, "i prefer to play with someone who will feed me balls waist high with good pace and only to my forehand side because i'm not good enough to generate my own pace and my footwork stinks."

EVERYONE wants to hit and play with people who hit sorta hard, sorta flat, sorta up the middle. Just makes you play better.
But smart WINNERS like to mix up the batch, throw in sliced dink angles, soft moons well placed deep and where you don't want it, and also hit hard and flat too......
Variety makes you a good player. Your ability to provide it and also your ability to handle it.
We should all learn every shot, so we can employ what we want when we want it.

So is there a point where hitting a clean ball is counter productive? I can mix it up a bit, but I'm not inclined to hit slice on every ball.

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Hitting a clean ball is never counter productive...but you can hit a clean flat ball, a clean slice, a clean lob, etc etc.

Like others have said, many people at our level cannot produce their own pace without sacrificing control. When you give them that pace, they are happy, and don't have to work as hard. It depends on whether you want to win by sticking with your strengths (hitting with pace) or by picking on their weakness (inability to create their own pace).

this is a lot like saying, "i prefer to play with someone who will feed me balls waist high with good pace and only to my forehand side because i'm not good enough to generate my own pace and my footwork stinks."

Spot on TFM -

Player #1 played with a superlight oversize, and was great at redirecting pace, but couldn't generate his own on most shots.

Player #2 had good strokes, hit the ball a ton, but was rusty with his footwork. He's just coming back into the game and admited he gets impatient with dinkers/junk ballers.

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Ludacris: My chick bad! Tell me if you seen her. She always brings the racket like Venus and Serena!

Hitting a clean ball is never counter productive...but you can hit a clean flat ball, a clean slice, a clean lob, etc etc.

Like others have said, many people at our level cannot produce their own pace without sacrificing control. When you give them that pace, they are happy, and don't have to work as hard. It depends on whether you want to win by sticking with your strengths (hitting with pace) or by picking on their weakness (inability to create their own pace).

Honestly, I've done a bit of both depending on the player. If I see someone that is hurting me with my own pace - I'll switch to plab B - I'll hit deep, but try more spin and less pace, and maybe throw in some slice for good measure.

If they are doing okay with my pace, but I can still gain the upper hand - I stick to plan A.

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Ludacris: My chick bad! Tell me if you seen her. She always brings the racket like Venus and Serena!

Well, I used to play in a ladies 3.5 league and I got frustrated b/c I was constantly losing! I like to just go out and hit the ball, not play out points and I realized that I hate doubles and much prefer singles. People at the club would see me out hitting with my dh and ask me to join their teams and I keep turning them down b/c I truly hate the way those ladies hit. There is no pace, it's all cheap shots and high balls. I LOVE pace and I hit with pace but it's hard to hit with pace when you're getting lobbed every other shot!

Anyway, I totally understand. Quite frankly, I am working on becoming a better hitting partner for my 11 year old and I let my husband work me around the court(he's a solid 4.5 player) for my fitness and for mastering angle and finesse shots. I'm not sure if I'll ever play league again.

BTW- feel you on doubles sometime. I prefer singles, but dubs with the right partner can be rewarding.

I know losing can be frustrating, but I'd encourage anyone to stick to leagues as playing against frustrating players and learning to beat them can make you a better player.

For example - If I can hit my overhead well, lob machines are going to have a problem playing against me.

Players who can crush paceless balls and who aren't bothered by junk are dangerous as if you give them this type of ball, they will eat it up.

IMHO - there are no such thing as cheap shots, just shots you don't like. I've found that I've become a better player by hitting against people who give me shots I don't like. - that was kind of the center of my question - do you give them the shots they say the like (pace) or feed them stuff they don't like?

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Ludacris: My chick bad! Tell me if you seen her. She always brings the racket like Venus and Serena!

I'm playing in a "4.0" league at a local club - non-USTA. In my last few matches I've had two opponents tell me that they prefer to play someone like me who hits with pace - in the middle of a match (I won both matches - one I just got by in 3 sets and the other timed out but I was up in game score).

I find that really strange because then I'm tempted to take pace off the ball and junk it up since I know that don't like it.

Also, it's not like I'm killing the ball - I'm a 3.5 so I can hit a fairly clean shot (on occasion...when the planets align), but I'm NOT cranking winners.

So is there a point where hitting a clean ball is counter productive? I can mix it up a bit, but I'm not inclined to hit slice on every ball.

I can see why dudes who play with alot of spins or just hit consitently deep without a lot of pace win a lot of matches. Seems like at my level, trying to kill the ball on most shots won't get you very far.

It doesn't help when you don't hit it deep. Also doesn't help when you don't play the right shot (especially in the middle of the court).